Distributing apparatus



Dec. 29, 1942. w. w. TRICKEY DISTRIBUTING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 31, 1941 Nm w ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 29, 1942 UNITED STATES Y William Walter Trickey, Essex FellsNeJsassignfp or to Lock` Joint Pipe Company2 East (.)ljtuvlgetz-r` l' N. J., 'a corporation'of New'Jersey A .Application rammel,1941,seria1m.376,714.9` cl.2"14;1"7)

4, .5Clan`is.

y This invention relates to apparatus for pouring concreteV pipe. Among the objects of the `invention is to provid'eapparatus for facilitating the pouring of concrete pipe "of large sizes and to'pro videf such .apparatus in' a unit whichcan vbe transported'-lto 'different' molds` andl quickly mounted' in'pla'cer and prepared for 'operation with'a minimum amount of handling and Without requiring special skill;

Another object of theinvention Ais to lprovide a self-contained pouring unit and Operating means therefor including a rotatable concrete distributing bucket, motor-means' for rotating 'the-bucket, a circular track and electrical devices, al1 assembled together in such'a manner thattheentire/assembly may bey carried'as aunit from mold to mold]Y A Further'and other objects of theV present invention'will be hereinafter/'set forth inthe accompanying'specicatior an'dclaims and demonstrated bythe drawing which shows by way of i1- lustration a preferred embodiment and theprinciple'of myinvention and what I' now consider the best Imode in which I have contemplated ap'- plying that principle. Otherembo'dim'entsof 'the nventionemploying the rsame principle may be used and structural changes'rnade ias desired by those skilled in the'art'within' the spirit of the appended claims and without departingfrom 'the present invention. i

VIn thedrawing; Fig. 1 is anelevational view of the assembly' showing'parts in section. w j

Fig.4 2 is a plan yofV the assembly with parts y broken away for better illustrating lower portions thereof.

Fig. 3 is a detail taken on line 3-'3'of Fig. l

' The principal application 'for this" invention' is in making concrete pipe of large siz'e.l Frequently such pipe is made' along the'intended coursel of a proposed pipe line". In sucha'case arrange-v ments aremade'to lay successive pipe sections as they are finished. It is desirable that the apparatus used in casting/the sections'of pipe'be capable of Vmovement from mold tov mold 'with a minimum ofv disassembling and" handling of parts. `When using several molds, ywhile pouring some, others are being emptied or prepared' for pouring. -By the use of the apparatus 'f the present invention, a'pouring operation can `be commenced practically as soon as a mold is ready. p The apparatus may be quickly moved from mold to'mold and 'it is designed to obviate delay which would otherwiseb'e 'encountered -if the parts associated with the'distributi'ng bucket had'to be Carefully' erected aidma'ssembled each tirneapipe section -w'ere to be cast. It is necessaryonly to attach a crane to; the bucket' and thereby transfer the bucket'and all parts Ynecessaryfor its operation in lone' carriage.

i mola s for'the concrete vpipe includes'an outer shell '5, and an inner shell 6 concentrically placed and standing-on ends.

l The support for the bucket may be a framework Vincludingv spacd'fsills or a platform. A steel plateI preferably supported'b'y a wall of the mold servesthe purposervery Well, but' the'bucket and it'strackinay be placed directly upon a mold wall ifsuc'h arrangement is desired. A suitable support'comprises a plate 1 which is large enough to servejas a I'ilfatforrn'extendingv across the central portion lofthe 'mold Mand above the inner mold iwall by" which it is s'"u'ppoit'eii, v'Structural elements ,8in the forni' yof'barsaresecur'ed to the underside'of the Yplatform Tand may be madeto extend, as shown in the drawing, within'the circular mold *cavity 9.` When s'oext'ending these structurali elements are utiliz'edmfr properly spacing reinforcement for the'iinished pipe. Themass'embly includes fa chassis, a Aconcrete distributin'gbucketfa Vcircular track or race, and operating mechanism for traversing thefchassis and'bucket Aupon the track, all associated 'and transportable as a singlel unit'. The bucket has a front wall I0, a/p'air of sloping iside/walls H and a back wall l2, al1 of which convergel at their lower edgesy lto"the"'opening' of achu'te I3' by which 'the' concrete ,within th'evb'ucket is distributed. The base of the chassis upon which 'the bucket 4is mounted has a ring I4 made' f channel iron and transo'ms |75of the same shapes'which are mounted as chords of the ring. Up'rights or standards I6 to which the bucket is secured and suitable'struts complete the chassis. Other`- bars support ,the'ope'rating' mechanism carried by the chassis. I"

A motor and reduction'ge'ar Amechanismy |21 is ment of motor and means for transmittingpower illustrated in the drawings is suggestive only and that known arrangements may be utilized. Under certain conditions the bucket may be traversed by man power as by a man walking upon platform 'I alongside the bucket (Fig. 2).

In order that the circular race constitute a part of the portable assembly, means are provided for lifting the track whenever the bucket is transferred from its position upon the mold platform. For this purpose I provide a plurality of brackets 28, each having ka pin 29 extending .under the flange of the circular track 23, but preferably not in contact therewith except when the track or race is being lifted through the chassis. This construction is illustrated in' detail in Fig. 3, although it is not necessary that the means engaging the race and the chassis for this purpose be of this particular construction. The brackets are secured to and depend from the circular frame member I4.

Electrical connections for the motor include a switch 3|, cable 32, and brushes and collector rings 33 which are carried by a bracket 34 upon the motor. The brushes are mounted upon a table 35, which is carried by a pair of angle irons 35 and 3l whose ends are secured to the circular track 23. A cable 38 terminating with a socket connects these .brushes with a plug 39 which is mounted in the web of the circular track 23. The collector rings and brushes are complementary and their relationship is reversible, as is well understood.

It is to be observed that the entire assembly and electrical devices so far disclosed are selfcontained in a unit so that it may be readily moved from mold to mold. When it is set in place upon a mold there remains only to make electrical connection with the plug 39. When this has been accomplished the assembly is ready for distributing concrete or other plastic and moldable material.

The support or platform of each mold is provided with a number of lugs 40, fixed in place in such a way as to engage the circular race and center the assembly with respect to the mold as the assembly is lowered to the platform.

The assembly also includes an operators yplatform 4| with a railing 42. A sliding gate 44 is provided at the bottom of the hopper for closing the same and for controlling flow. A defiector 45 is mounted in the chute.

The hopper is provided with a plurality of ears 4S, one at each corner, by which the entire assembly may be lifted.

According to the usual procedure for using the apparatus an operator will ride upon the platform and control the rotation of the assembly and the distribution of concrete in the annular recess of the mold. The concrete is evenly distributed about the mold in layers or ribbons whose thickness is dependent upon the speed of rotation of the bucket and the amount of gate opening. The operating platform is so arranged that the operator can observe the manner in which the mold is being' filled so that any unusual formation can be immediately remedied. Ordinarily, the motor What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a support for a traversable bucket for distributing concrete to a circular pipe mold, la circular race removably supported upon said support, means for locating said circular race with relation to the center of said support, a concrete distributing bucket, a chassis for said concrete distributing bucket, said chassis being adapted for traverse upon said 'race and having wheels attached thereto and bearing upon said circular race, a motor carried by said chassis and having connection with at least one of said wheels for driving the same, and means engaging said chassis and said circular race for lifting the race from said support and as part of a portable unit including said chassis, distributing bucket and motor.

2. The combination of a concrete distributing bucket adapted for use with a circular pipe mold, a chassis for supporting said bucket, wheels secured to said chassis for traversing said chassis and bucket about a vertical axis passing through the bucket, a circular race upon which said wheels travel, motor means for driving at least one of said Wheels for traversing said chassis and bucket on said circular race, said motor means being mounted on said chassis, and means engaging said chassis and said circular race for lifting the race when said chassis and distributing bucket are lifted from their position of use with respect to said mold.

3. The combination of a concrete distributing bucket adapted for use above a circular pipe mold, a chassis for supporting said bucket, a circular race and wheels for mounting said chassis for traverse with respect to the mold, motor means for driving at least one of said wheels for traversing said chassis and bucket, said motor means being mounted on said chassis, collector rings'and brushes for the motor and carried by said chassis, and means engaging said circular race for securing the race to the chassis for removal therewith when said chassis, distributing .bucket motor and collector rings and brushes are lifted from their mounting above said motor.

4. For use with a circular pipe mold for casting concrete pipe and having stationary supporting means at the center of the mold, the combination comprising a circular race detachably supported upon said stationary supporting means, a concrete distributing bucket, a chassis for said concrete distributing bucket, said chassis being adapted for traverse upon said race and having wheels attached thereto and bearing upon said circular race, an operators platform. secured to said chassis, a motor having connection with at least one. of said wheels for driving the same, and means connected to said chassis and having provision for engaging said circular race for lifting the same from its supporting means as part of a rotatable assembly including said chassis, distributing bucket, platform and motor.

5. Apparatus for pouring concrete into a circular pipe mold comprising a chassis having wheels journalled therein and arranged for circular traverse about a vertical axis, a vcircular race for supporting said wheels and upon which said chassis and associated elements are mounted for rotation, a distributing bucket carried by said chassis and having a chute extending beyond the diameter of said circular race, and means whereby said circular race is secured to said chassis so as to enable transportation of said chassis and race as a unitary assembly.

WILLIAM WALTER TRICKEY. 

